Jasper's Return
by twilife
Summary: Takes place during New Moon. Jasper comes back.
1. Jasper's Return

This takes place during New Moon, after Edward has been gone for a while, before Bella finds out about the werewolves.

POV: Bella

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I couldn't live like this anymore. I needed some proof that the whole thing wasn't just a dream, that Edward had really been there. For the first time in months, I went to the place where the Cullens had lived. Although I knew it was just an empty house, it was something tangible for me to latch onto; something that held all the memories from our former life.

The door was unlocked.

It was just the way I remembered it: every piece of furniture was where it was supposed to be. I could suppose that the Cullens were just out for the day, that they would be returning that afternoon. I sat on the living room couch, pretending to wait for their return. I knew they wouldn't, but the presence of the house gave me some inexplicable shred of hope. It wasn't enough, though. I still felt the aching hole in my self. The pain was stimulated, as if I was pushing on an aching tooth to make sure it still hurt. It felt better and worse at the same time. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to pretend that everything was back to the way it was before. I stared out the window, awaiting the sight of a car pulling into the driveway. And there I saw it, clear as I ever would.

It was a red car, one that I had never seen before. This was not a car from my imagination. There was actually someone in the driveway. My heart paced. Was this one of the Cullens? Does someone else live here now? I had only caught a short glimpse of the car, but after a few minutes of silence I convinced myself that I had imagined it. My imagination was particularly potent, and I considered whether I would be able to summon the clear sound of Edward's voice again. But instead I heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening.

I looked over and there was Jasper. "Jasper!" I gasped. Why was he here? Did this mean the Cullens were returning? It didn't matter, I was just glad to see one of them. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of him. He turned and looked at me. "Bella?" he asked, surprised. "What are you-" He sat down on the adjacent chair, and as he approached, I felt all of my anxiety and dark, cold emptiness slowly fade away. As he placed his hand on my lower arm, I felt a sense of bliss take over my whole body, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said, forgetting every reason why I was upset, and embracing the emotional treatment like a blanket. "Why are you back here?" I asked.

"I came back to see how you were doing. Edward is-" he paused. I almost flinched at the mention of Edward's name, but now it came with hope.

"He's not doing so well."

"What? What's wrong with him?" I asked anxiously.

"He misses you too much. It's making him crazy."

"What?" Edward missed me. Did I really mean something to him after all? I didn't know exactly how I was reacting, because I was still under Jaspers soothing blanket of bliss, but I felt the warmth return to me.

"I'm sorry, Bella," said Jasper.

"About what?" I asked.

"This is all my fault. He left because of me."

"What? He did?"

"Because I almost killed you!"

"You mean... Edward still loves me?"

"Of course he does. What did he tell you?"

"He told me he didn't," I choked. The tears streamed down my cheeks, and I felt a little bit of anger. "Is he coming back?"

Jasper sighed. "I don't think so."

I thought of living without Edward for the rest of my life. It would be a life of torture.

"Don't leave," I said. "I don't want to feel bad anymore."

"I have to. I told Alice I would be back."

"Take me," I said. "There's nothing left for me here. I just want to see Edward again."

Jasper hesitated. "Okay. He won't be too happy with me, though."

"Why not?"

"If I lose control again, no one will be able to save you."

"Oh, yeah," I said. "I don't care. I'd rather take the risk. Besides, I trust you, and I promise I won't cut myself. If anything happens, you can tell him it was my fault. You can tell him I threatened to kill myself or something." I looked at him hopefully.

"It's okay. I've already decided to take you. I know what it's like to love someone that much."

My face beamed with joy as the truth sunk in that I was going to see Edward, after all this misery.


	2. We're Not Alone

Jasper was out hunting. I decided to stay at the Cullens' house until he got back. Then it occurred to me: What would I tell Charlie? I couldn't just leave without a word – he'd think I was dead. If I told him where I was going, he'd ground me and never let me leave! I'd have to make something up.

"I'm going to sleep over at Jessica's for a few days," I said on the phone.

"Good for you. You need to spend some time with your friends. Have a good time."

"Thanks."

That went better than I expected.

I heard faint footsteps downstairs. Jasper must have been back already. Since he had left, I had been ridden with anxiety that he had suppressed while he was with me. I was scared. Did Edward really want to see me again? Why would he have stayed away so long if he did? My head filled with doubt and questions, and I looked forward to seeing Jasper again so I could stop thinking about it. I came downstairs. "Jasper?"

No one responded. A moment later, Laurent stepped out from the shadow. "Bella, how nice to see you again," he said.

"Oh," I said. "Wh- what are you doing here?"

"You're not scared of me, are you?"

"No."

"Oh, good. I was hoping this would be a pleasant meal for both of us." My heart sank, as I realized what his intentions were. I tried to think of possible escapes, but there was nothing I could do.

"I thought... I thought..." I stuttered.

"No offense. I'm just really hungry," he said as he walked toward me. I backed away, knowing it would do nothing but prolong the attack by a few seconds. "Don't worry – I'll make it quick."

I backed into the wall. Laurent leanded toward me, and I shut my eyes.

"Laurent!" Jasper yelled. "I thought you knew she was off-limits."

"That was only during the game," he said. "I was hungry."

"Get out of my house!" said Jasper. I could feel the anger pouring off of him.

Laurent didn't move. As Jasper came closer, Laurent took my arm and quickly sliced open a cut with his fingernail. Jasper stopped, his eyes widening. After making his cut, Laurent ran off, following Jasper's orders.


	3. Leaving

I clutched my arm as a drop of blood crept down my fingers. I knew I couldn't run fast enough to escape, so I just stood there, as if paralyzed, waiting for my inevitable fate. Jasper's eyes turned black with hunger as he stared at the fresh wound. I braced myself, waiting for him to lunge. After a few seconds I realized he was still standing there, and he looked like he was choking to death trying to restrain himself. I have to get away, I thought. I ran upstairs, into the bathroom and locked the door.

I looked at my arm. It wasn't a very deep cut. After I washed all the blood off my arm and hand, it just looked like a small scratch. I searched the medicine cabinet for something to cover it with. I found a bottle of liquid bandage, which I painted over the cut. I was pleased with the way it looked after it dried, but I decided to add another layer, just to be safe.

_Knock, knock, knock._ "Bella, are you all right?" asked Jasper from outside the door.

"I'm fine," I said. I opened the door.

"Let me see." He took my hand and looked at the cut. "Oh, that's not too bad. You sealed it pretty well."

"Yeah," I said. "It could have been a lot worse. I could be dead."

Jasper's face turned solemn. "We should leave before this happens again."

"Okay." I was anxious to get away and see Edward again. Just the knowledge that I would see him again soon was almost unbelievable. I had spent so much time wondering, with little hope that he would ever appear again, and now I knew. I knew I would see him for at least a moment. The future of that moment was all a blur in my mind. Whether he'd want to see me, whether we'd be together after that, was all a jumble in my head, but as long as I clung to that one moment, it was all I needed.

It all seemed too easy. I couldn't be sure what was wrong, but I what would make me think I was fixing things by going to see Edward? There was a reason why he left. This didn't make sense. Just as I felt a pool of doubt form inside me, it was replaced by an spontaneous wave of comfort. I relaxed in the passenger seat, trying to put my thoughts at peace to match the way I felt, but I couldn't. The disharmony jolted me awake from my thoughts. It was Jasper.

"Can't you just let me feel the way I feel for a minute?" I asked.

"Sorry," Jasper said as he lifted his calming spell. It was as if an anchor fell on my stomach, and I was overwhelmed with anxiety. What would I do if I went all that way and Edward didn't even want to see me? Things would go back to the way they were before. The gaping hole would come back. My life would be just as empty as before. I could feel the hole again. It was there, just as big as ever, but not so full of despair. But if Edward left me a second time, how would I be able to handle that? I would have to feel the same pain all over again. As my anxieties went deeper, I remembered that I didn't have to feel like this.

"Okay, I'm done," I said.

Jasper immediately calmed my anxiety. "What are you so worried about?" He asked.

"Um,... What if Edward doesn't want me back?" I asked.

"Then he's crazy."

"But what will happen? How can I go on living?" My eyes filled with tears.

Jasper turned to look at me and rested a comforting hand on my back. "If that happens, then Alice and I will move back to Forks to look after you."


	4. Terrible Luck

We got to the airport. "So, where are we going?" I asked.

"Brazil," said Jasper.

Brazil? That's where Edward was?

"I'm going in here for a minute," I said, pointing to a ladies' room.

"Okay, but if you're not back in three minutes, I'm coming in after you."

"What?!"

"You remember what happened _last time_ you went to the bathroom..."

"Huh? Ohhh, yeah." I recalled the time I escaped from Jasper's watch through a ladies room so I could get myself nearly killed by James. That was a fun time.

"I'm serious, Bella. If you're being blackmailed, you need to tell me."

"I'm sorry! I didn't think I had a choice."

"It's okay. Just don't do it again."

"Okay." I opened the door, then turned back to Jasper. "Are you serious about coming in after me?"

"I sure am."

"Okay. Just checking."

There was no other way out of this bathroom anyway, except for a small window near the ceiling that doubted I'd fit through. I started wondering about it, though, and planning my escape. If I stood on top of the back of the toilet, I could probably reach it. As I washed my hands, I realized there was one person in one of the stalls: a potential witness. While I was climbing out, they'd probably wonder what I was doing and call security or something. Escaping was not a good idea, although I had no reason to do it. "Good thing I'm not in trouble," I said to myself.

Just then the other person came out of the stall. I glanced across in the mirror and gasped. It was Victoria! I turned toward the door, pretending not to notice, and she stopped me with her rock-hard grip on my shoulder. "Hey, long time no see," she said.

"I was just leaving," I said nervously.

"I hate to break it to you, but you're not going anywhere," she threatened.

Jasper flung open the door and raced into the room. Victoria looked shocked. "Excuse me!" she said. "What are you doing in the ladies' room?"

"I was about to ask the same thing about you," Jasper growled, moving in front of me.

"Well, I'm afraid we'll have to catch up some other time," she said. "I wouldn't want to ruin your meal." She glanced at me, and then walked out.

"You seem to be having terrible luck with vampires today," said Jasper.

"I know. It's weird."

Two girls came into the bathroom and stared at Jasper. "Ehem. Uh, let's go," he said. Jasper took my hand and led me out. I was a bit surprised. I guessed that Jasper was feeling particularly protective after those two incidents, but I had also forgotten the cold feel of a vampire's hand, and it reminded me of Edward. I closed my eyes as we walked toward the airport gate, and pretended it was Edward's hand that was holding mine. It was such a vivid memory, and the tactile resemblance was almost exact. But holding Edward's hand, I wanted so much to be closer to him, to embrace him and kiss him. I opened my eyes, wondering if Jasper had noticed the lust I had been feeling.

We approached the security gate. The guard looked at me suspiciously. "Miss, I'm afraid we'll have to hold you back for questioning."

"What? Okay..." I said. I looked at Jasper. He just shrugged. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Nope. We just need to be sure. Step over this way, please." I followed the one of the guards and Jasper began to follow me.

"Excuse me, sir," said the other guard. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay here and wait. She'll just be a minute if everything goes well."

"Oh," Jasper sounded concerned. "No, I can't let her..."

I looked back at Jasper. "I'll be right back," I said.

"Come with me, miss," said the guard. I followed him into a room, and down a long hallway. "Here she is," he said. Suddenly a cold hand was over my mouth, and another one around my waist. "Where's the rest of my money?"

"Oh, you'll get it," said a creepy voice. I started to scream, but only a muffled whine came out. "Shhhh. Be quiet, or I'll kill you." I was blindfolded, and the next few hours were a blur.


	5. Trapped

I woke up on a cold floor, lying uncomfortably on my side. My hands and feet were tied with ropes. I sat up and looked around. It was a dark room, surrounded by stone walls and no windows. There was nothing but a door and a small light on the ceiling. I tried to make my way to the door, but my ropes were tied to an anchor on the wall. I searched my pockets for possible tools, and managed to get my car keys. I took the key and started sawing the rope behind me. I'll be dead by the time I finish this, I thought.

The door opened. I dropped the keys and jumped. Victoria came in. "I've been waiting for this," she said. "You caused the death of my mate. Now I'll have my revenge."

"He tried to kill me!" I said.

"Like I care," she said. "You're nothing but a worthless human. It's Edward I want to torture. Make him feel my pain." She walked toward me, and took in a deep breath. "Oh, you smell so good," she said.

"Edward left me! He doesn't love me anymore. He wouldn't care if I was dead. He probably wouldn't even know." The word escaped my lips as a deterrent, and I knew (or at leasts hoped) they were lies, but as I spoke them I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"Then you're just a worthless piece of food," she said. "Either way, I know I'm going to enjoy this. Your blood smells sweeter than anything I've tasted in my entire life." Her eyes turned black as she took another whiff. "But I'm going to save you for later. Don't bother screaming or trying to escape. No one will ever find you down here. But don't worry, they won't be searching for long. You're as good as dead now, and I'll let them know it. They'll think I've already killed you." She stood up and walked toward the door. "I'll be back," she said, and she locked the door behind her.

I was left in the silence and the dim light of that cold little room. I had no idea where I was or how long I had until Victoria came back. I felt bad for Jasper. He had tried so hard to keep me safe, and it was all for nothing. I was just going to die here. I wasn't going to see Edward ever again. The thought stung me. Never again, not even once. There was that hole inside me again, and it felt worse than ever before. I thought back over the words I had said to Victoria. "Edward left me! He doesn't love me anymore. He wouldn't care if I was dead. He probably wouldn't even know." What if it was true? What if Jasper was wrong? He can often misinterpret people's emotions. He doesn't know what they're thinking. Or what if it was all a lie? And now it was all going to end like this, anyway. None of it mattered. It didn't matter whether Edward loved me or not. But I felt the ache in my stomach. I couldn't bear it anymore. Tears fell down my cheeks. "Make it go away," I said. "I don't want to feel like this anymore," my voice broke out into sobs. I lay down again in the uncomfortable position in which I had found myself, just waiting for the time to pass. Each moment felt like an eternity, although I had nothing to measure moments with, so I had no idea how much time had passed. I tried to bring my mind into a thoughtless stupor so as not to dwell on the pain.

Hours passed.

Or so it seemed, I had no idea. Maybe it had been a few minutes, maybe a day. Nothing changed. I kept wishing Victoria would come back and kill me. It was the only thing I had to look forward to. If it was only a matter of how long I would by lying here, suffering with my own thoughts, I wished for the time to be shorter rather than longer. I lay still, tears flowing slowly and constantly across my face, from one eye into the other, then down to my ear, through my hair and onto the floor, where a small puddle gathered gradually, and that side of my hair got steadily damper.


	6. Escape

I wandered aimlessly through the woods, searching intently. I couldn't stop – there was something I needed that wasn't there. There was nothing in any direction. I ran as fast as I could, trying to escape the endless misery, but nothing changed. I couldn't stand still – the stillness was too much for me. There was nothing I could do but continue to wander. I kept walking, frantically. Eventually I came to a clearing in the woods. It was a sunny meadow. I walked out into the meadow and all my worry left me. Was this the place I'd been searching for all along? The trees didn't look so tall and ominous anymore. I jumped up into the air and began to float. As I floated higher and higher, the forest I'd just been lost in for days looked like a tiny patch of woods in the middle of a large, scenic country. My body was filled with peace. I heard my name. "Bella," sang a thousand angels from the clouds. As I heard my name sung so sweetly, with so much love, I was overcome with emotion. I looked up to the clouds and opened my eyes.

I awoke to see Edward looking at me. His eyes were full of the love he had always shown for me before. Could this be real? "E-Edward," I squeaked. I realized I had been crying in my sleep. I was lying on the floor of the stone room, but the ropes were gone from my limbs. Edward was holding me. "How did-" I started to ask, but I didn't know where to begin.

"Shhhh." He stroked my back and pulled me closer. "I'll explain later, but we have to get out of here as fast as we can. Come on." He lifted me to my feet, and I saw Jasper and Alice appear out of nowhere.

"Oh, Bella!" Alice cried as she ran to me and embraced me. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Bella, I'm so sorry!" said Jasper.

"It's okay," I said.

"This can wait," said Edward. "Let's get her somewhere safe. We don't know how much time we have."

Edward scooped me up in his arms and we were out of the place in a blurry moment. I clung tightly to him, afraid that if I let go, he would disappear forever. This proved awkward as he tried to stuff me into the back of a car. I didn't stop to realize what was happening until he gave up and pulled both of us into the back seat so that I was half on his lap and he was leaning over me. Jasper had already started the car, and as soon as Edward closed the door behind him the car sped off like a bullet. I realized that Edward wasn't going anywhere soon, and adjusted my position so that I could buckle my seatbelt. I stiffened my body as the car reached 140 MPH.

"Bella," Edward looked at me intently. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said. As long as he was here with me again, I was fine. Nothing else made sense. He was here! I had thought I'd never see him again. I was certain of it, yet here he was, right next to me. I looked at his intense eyes, full of concern, and my eyes filled with tears. "Edward!" I said. "You're here again." I wrapped my arms around him and rested my face on his shoulder, not knowing or caring how he would react.

"I know," he said. "I thought I'd never see see again. Alice had all these terrible visions..." He tightened his arms around me.

"What kind of visions?" I asked.

Edward cringed. "Well, it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you're safe now. Bella," Edward lifted my face up so he could look into my eyes. "I'm so sorry. I never should have left you like this. I had no idea..." he paused. "how much I hurt you."

"What happened?" I asked.

"I found out from Jasper. It was all he could think about."

"Oh," I said, confused. "I went missing and all he could think about was how much you hurt me?"

"Bella," Jasper chimed in. "I couldn't bear to think..." he trailed off.

Edward finished. "He couldn't bear to think that you were going to die without knowing how much I love you."

My eyes welled up with tears again. Could this be true? "How much?" I asked.

"I can't tell you," he said.

"Why not?" I asked, disappointed.

"Bella," Edward chuckled. "I can't tell you how much I love you because it would take forever, and there are no words great enough."


End file.
